Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Still no sun. But, the clouds did develop some texture and a few bright spots this afternoon. Hoping to see the sun tomorrow. Then more evil winter weather rolls in on Thursday.
Just realized. This is the time in Kona when I start to get mopey because I will be leaving soon. Well, that’s not going to be a problem this year! Always look on the bright side of life…
Grateful for avocados. Think I will add one to tonight’s chili.
Mālama Pono
Weather was good enough for friluftsliv. But, not a single ray of sun.
Sort of gave up on Key West. Lodging is the issue. My passport is dusty. I have even considered buying/leasing a car and going on a road trip. But, it would be cheaper (and safer than me driving) to train it somewhere.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Another adventure that I am grateful to have ticked off before the Covid Era. I am pretty sure that I wouldn’t have made the trek to Mardi Gras again, but still. I like options. Options have been in very short supply of late.
Work and two exercise classes tomorrow. Also rain. Always look on the bright side of life – The Orange Lord no longer has the nuclear launch codes. He can still launch his goons. But, not the nukes.
Mālama Pono
Ice. I like my ice in the freezer. Or in coffee on a hot summer afternoon. There wasn’t any sun. Not one single ray.
My new medical evacuation card came yesterday. Renewing it for the next 12 months was an act of total denial. The only place I am likely to need rescuing from is the damn Asylum.
I just discovered that Key West, Alexa what’s the temperature in Key West? 81°. . . I just discovered that there are nonstop flights from National Airport to Key West “International”. No Covid testing required. OOPS, I just discovered that Key West is pretty well filled up right now. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Grateful that lobster mac & cheese was on the Valentine’s Day menu.
Mālama Pono
This is where I like my snow. Above 8,000 feet in Hawai’i. The weather here is: Freezing rain this evening…then cloudy late. Significant icing likely. Low 28F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 100%.
Really extremely totally grateful that the power and wifi have remained operational.
Oh, and I was pleased to confirm the other morning when the wifi that Alexa uses goes out, Alexa can still control the lights. And start the coffee. So, my ZigBee mesh net is good.
Kona and/or Bermuda are starting to look pretty good. Hawai’i is warmer, cheaper, and more friends there. Bermuda is easier to get to, nice springlike weather, slightly foreign feel. Both huge hassles about a Covid test, both have much less Covid than Northern VA. Neither have freezing rain.
Mālama Pono
It’s the Year of The Metal Ox. This ox seems to be a Mahjong Ox. In 2018, by sheer great luck and nothing else, I ended up in a hotel on Sidney Harbour during Chinese New Year. It was splendid. 2018 was the Year of The Dog. But the other 11 animals were still represented. People seemed to take selfies in front of “their” animal. I am a monkey. Does that surprise anyone?
Once again, grateful that I didn’t put off any of the adventures that I went on since Carlton died. Carpe Diem kids Carpe Diem.
I am celebrating the New Year by ordering from our “special” takeout menu. And, Alexa just reminded me that I have to go pick it up. It still comes in green plastic boxes in green plastic bags. So, I must wander downstairs and get my scallops.
Coffee Rubbed Scallops. Served with Butternut Squash Risotto & Broccoli. Served in green plastic box. Everything tastes better when properly plated.
I dined in the living room this evening. I think of my one room as a great variety of rooms. The kitchen, the landing zone, the living room, the dining room, the office, the library, the bedroom, the bathroom (actual room), and the dressing room (AKA closet). Oh and the yoga studio. At this instant, I am having after-dinner coffee in the library.
Mālama Pono
I might be looking for the light – but – there is damn little light in a Windows 10 blue screen of death for this old woman. I just googled the error message that flashed on the screen and I think that if I can get to the command prompt I might have a chance at fixing it. My friend has the in-house tech support guy on the case now. He can try the video.
A lazy winter day was on tap. I went for a great long walk up and down the stairs while doing a small load of laundry. I watered my orchids and put all the orchid repotting stuff in a nice plastic box and was just getting ready to go visit with friend, when what should appear but an email from the hospital requesting counts of this and that. Work on getting the numbers. Get the numbers. I am eating lunch, note to reader: Trader Joe’s Pho isn’t very good, when I get a computer 911 call. Blue screen of death.
Grateful for an unexpectedly if not 100% satisfactory busy day.
Mālama Pono
Contrails. We missed them after 9/11 and I am glad to see them coming back as we approach one year of Covid time.
Didn’t do much today. Since “snowy” is the forecast for tomorrow, I forced myself outside for a walk. Messed around with taxes, made a couple of reports for work, read some, and The Asylum wants a framed Photo of you and your love.
So, I spent 30 minutes or so taking a picture of me and my honeybunny.
Mr C and I didn’t do Valentine’s Day. But, we did do coffee. Every afternoon at about 4PM. We stopped doing whatever it was that we were doing. We made coffee and talked. No TV, no phones, just us. Every serious discussion we had was during coffee time. Serious conversations were started with a joke or one of us saying “Well, what about…”.
Grateful for Coffee.
Oh, and this morning I was taking the composting downstairs and I discovered a huge digital sign.
It’s not nice to mess with old people’s brains like that.
Mālama Pono
Feeling very tired, old and creaky today. But, wait. I am old. Maybe being tired and creaky is to be expected. Two exercise classes and work. That was it for the day. (Decided not to watch the impeachment live. I needed most of my brain cells to be operating for work.)
On the bright side, work is done for the day. Time for a nice hot shower. Then Zoom with the Asylum Sisters. And I ordered pumpkin pie for dinner. That’s all just pumpkin pie. Carlton’s motto “life is uncertain, eat dessert first”. After that catch up on Impeachment II and off to bed early.
Mālama Pono
A very taxing day today. But, I am now ready to ship my taxes off to the tax guy as soon as 3 more documents arrive. This pleases me. Not much pleases me these days.
Did not watch any of the Super Bowl yesterday. First time in 50+ years. But, honestly, I just don’t care. There are a lot of things that I don’t care about. Wonder if that is a sign of aging, Covid fatigue, or just plain old self-centeredness on my part?
Grateful that one of my brokers was able to get a 1099 fixed for me in a couple of hours. Also grateful for online delivery of said corrected copy. I may give him more business.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only person who liked the huge snowflakes yesterday. The Washington Post called them Goliath snowflakes.
Mālama Pono
Lots of big fat fluffy snow flying around this morning. But, it amounted to nothing. And now the crows are swooping joyously around.
Mac & Cheese for lunch today. And an oatmeal raisin cookie.That is surely something to be grateful for.
Had in person wine and cheese last evening with 2 friends. (Yes, living dangerously) Absolutely delighted by Sarah who told us all about her new Apple watch. It was a 93rd birthday present. And, at this point in time, no helpful grandkid could come and get it set up. She did it herself. On of my younger friends recently got an Apple watch for her 80th birthday. She is also very happy with it. Take that all you young’uns.
The youngest grand will be going off to University of Vermont in the fall. Couldn’t be happier about her choice. I have already learned that University of Vermont is not UV or UVt but UVM. (Universitas Viridis Montis, or University of the Green Mountains.)
Mālama Pono
The strawberries are a tiny bit of retail therapy. We are still locked up, so I had them delivered.
Grateful that I can afford grocery delivery anytime I get to hankering for just barely in-season strawberries. Even more grateful that my brain still works well enough to navigate online grocery shopping.
Very little going on in my world today. Laundry, online strawberry quest, visit with friends, lunch, walk, nap, some origami most of which ended up in recycling, nap, and tee-shirt culling. Looking forward to in-person wine and snacks with friends soon. As I said, just trying to hang on until whatever happens next. I think that cold and snow is what is going to happen next.
Mālama Pono
Happy to report that the 11th floor continues keeping spirits up during COVID with spirits.
Also happy to report that I don’t think that I embarrassed myself at the Brent Scowcroft Memorial Series Zoom. Except for the speaker, I may well have been the only person who had ever played an actual video game. Or read a graphic novel. And, I had to wear a t-shirt. The Arpanet one. And, it was noticed and commented upon. Fashion is my life!
Grateful that everyone I know who had Covid recently has recovered. And 2 of these were serious cases involving hospital or nursing floor stays. Also grateful that my friends will be getting their 2nd Covid vaccine next week.
Not loving what I am seeing here on the weather forecast. But, living in the moment, today was lovely, sunny, and “warm”. I kept the window open for a couple of hours to let in some nice fresh germ-free air. Also, went for a nice walk. All good, too nice to count as friluftsliv
Mālama Pono